Thomas Russell
ADVANCE, N.C. — When it comes to manufacturing furniture, Bob Cleary has a simple mantra: “It’s change or die. You can’t continue to do the things you have always done and expect different results.”


That’s Cleary’s philosophy as founder of Creative Solutions of North Carolina, a consulting firm that helps factories shift to lean manufacturing. He launched the company about two years ago after 32 years of manufacturing-related experience at Henredon. He helps clients improve processes to remain competitive against foreign-based manufacturers.

“We look at reducing waste in the manufacturing and the office environment,” Cleary said. “It eliminates labor costs as it becomes more engrained in the environment.”

But in an industry that already has shed gobs of manufacturing jobs, his goal isn’t necessarily to cut the work force. Instead, he looks to change plant layouts to improve worker productivity and cut waste.

Over time, a more efficient company may lose some jobs through attrition. But Cleary said the main goal is to help clients improve service and delivery times, which should boost revenues.

When visiting a client or prospect, Cleary has the company walk him through the entire process, from orders through manufacturing, packaging and shipping. He learns the steps involved, including worker tasks and the time taken at each stage.

“Based on that, I recommend a flow improvement for that company,” he said.

His clients include foam cushion supplier Barnhardt Cushion. At the company’s Hickory, N.C., factory, he recently visited with General Manager John Smith and Plant Manager Rick Weaver to discuss the progress of an improvement plan started in January 2012.

The two Barnhardt executives knew Cleary when he was at Henredon, and hired him as a consultant because they needed help with a problem: It took Barnhardt as much as 13 hours between the time an order was received and the time it was ready to ship. It also was difficult for employees to locate an in-plant order until it reached their work area.

First, Cleary had Barnhardt managers read about lean manufacturing so they understood the concept and the changes it might bring. Getting management to understand and buy into the concept is vital, he said.

“The key is that there has to be full commitment from the CEO, the president and vice presidents, all the way through the organization,” he said, noting the process is more a journey than a destination. “Many want a 30-day fix, and it’s not a 30-day fix. It is a year-long fix, although you can start to see improvements in four to six months.”

At first, some Barnhardt employees resisted the changes Cleary had in mind. But when they started to see the improvements, more and more workers bought into the process.

“The culture of our plant has taken a complete turnaround,” Weaver said.

The changes involved moving tasks such as foam and fiber cutting and gluing, once in different parts of the plant, to activity cells all in one area. Along with reducing the steps involved in moving product from one area to another, the cells improved communications among workers.

Cells have clearly stated production goals every day, which lets workers see how well they are doing.
“On their daily schedule, they know exactly what has to be shipped,” Weaver said, something that used to involve guesswork. “Now you know what cells can produce in an hour and you can get it out (the door).”

Weaver and Smith said workers have suggested various improvements, and have been cross trained so they can back up each other.

The new approach has reduced defects, overproduction, excess inventory, unnecessary steps, overprocessing, material movement and waiting times, said Smith. Cycle times were reduced by some 90% on certain products, meaning an order that once took 13 hours to ship was now ready in an hour or less.

Barnhardt also slashed overtime by 32% between the first quarter of 2012 and this year’s first quarter, and increased productivity by 19% during the same period. It also reduced the amount of manufacturing space. Today, 90% of the manufacturing is in half the building, allowing the company to grow without enlarging the factory.

Overall employment at the plant has dropped about 10% since January 2012, but that has been a result of attrition and not layoffs, Smith said.

While officials said there still is room for improvement, they are pleased with the changes thus far. So are employees.

“When Bob (Cleary) came here, I got on his bandwagon and now I will not get off,” said foam department supervisor Vickie Markham, a 34-year Barnhardt veteran. “It’s the best thing to happen to us. With the cells, it makes it easier for everybody.”

She said employees meet weekly to discuss how to keep tweaking the process. “We’re still learning,” she added. “Hopefully, we will not stop learning because that’s how you grow.”

Cleary credits management and workers for making the necessary changes. In the end, he said, it’s their dedication that will help keep U.S. manufacturers competitive.

“So many people want different results, but they aren‘t willing to change what they are doing,” Cleary said.
He can be reached at (336) 998-5202 or (336) 407-3188.